Screen Education Edinburgh is now accepting applications for Through the Lens, our free, hands-on filmmaking course for adults (18+, no upper age limit) living in North Edinburgh.
Open to beginners, the course offers practical training in screenwriting, directing, producing, camera and sound operation, production design, and editing.
Participants will work as a crew to create a short film, which will premiere at the North Edinburgh Film Festival in March 2026.
The programme also includes guest sessions with film and TV professionals, cinema outings, and tailored support for those exploring creative careers. Sessions take place here at Screen Education Edinburgh (30 Ferry Rd Ave, EH4 4BA) every Tuesday, 6–8pm, from 28th October 2025 to 25th February 2026.
It’s FREE to attend, with travel bursaries available for those who require financial assistance.
FM: Scots should make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests
Independence would give the people of Scotland new opportunities to improve their standards of living, according to a new paper published by First Minister John Swinney.
‘A Fresh Start with Independence’ examines how an independent Scotland would be able to improve the economy and the NHS, and tackle issues such as household finances, pensions, social security, migration, energy and defence.
The paper states that the Scottish Government has worked hard to improve the lives of people living in Scotland using devolved powers but it would only be able to fully capitalise on the nation’s potential with independence.
The First Minister said: “I firmly believe that the people who live in Scotland are best placed to make decisions about Scotland. That is the fundamental democratic and practical argument underpinning the case that we make.
“Too many people in Scotland today do not have a decent standard of living and are finding it difficult to make ends meet. That is because standards of living in the UK have improved little in over 10 years, due to a failing economic system and Westminster decisions such as austerity and the disastrous decision to leave the European Union. Scotland did not support austerity and it did not support Brexit. The reality is Westminster is not working for Scotland.
“The Scottish Government works tirelessly to use the powers of devolution to deliver the very best for Scotland. Much good has been achieved through the expansion of early learning and childcare, the introduction of free university tuition, the expansion of the rail network, the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol, the creation of the Scottish Child Payment and many other measures.
“But Scotland needs to be able to improve the opportunities available to our people, our communities and our businesses. Scotland needs to build a stronger, more inclusive economy that works for all. Those possibilities would only be available to Scotland with the fresh start of independence.
“We have shown that when we have the power to decide for ourselves, we find solutions and make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests. I believe Scotland can and will become a successful independent country, with a more dynamic economy and a fairer society.”
The Scottish Conservatives don’t agree, oddly enough:
Wildflower Planting in East Pilton Park this Saturday 10.30-1 (11th October) with Granton Community Gardeners. Free, family friendly activity.
Join us to add wildflower seeds and spring bulbs to the long grass patches of East Pilton Park (around the new tree plantings).
As well as looking beautiful, we hope to improve the area for pollinators and also increase the number of invertebrates (insects and other wee bugs) for our local birds to eat.
We are particularly hoping to help increase the food supply for our nearby swift colony and this project goes hand in hand with plans we have to give the swifts more good local nesting sites by adding swift boxes to buildings.
Amazingly, the council’s ecologists have found that long grass areas can have as much as 90 times more life than short grass. Let’s add flowers to make them even better!
CRAIGROYSTON HIGH SCHOOL’S GARDEN ALSO HIT BY VANDALISM
Community Garden Vandalism
We’re really saddened and frustrated to share that nearly all of our garden beds have been damaged. The wood has been broken, and many of the plants and vegetables that young people and volunteers worked so hard to grow have been pulled out.
This garden means a lot to our community, and it’s disheartening to see so much hard work destroyed. If anyone saw anything or knows who was involved, please get in touch.
We’re determined to repair the damage and keep this space thriving
Awful We’re about to post the same thing about our garden in the SfL department. It’s so disheartening when we try so hard to keep it good and our young people are working in it
Considering the past, present and future of Scotland’s flagship music making fund for children and young people.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has welcomed a review highlighting the impact of music for young people of all backgrounds during Challenge Poverty Week.
The £9.78 million Scottish Government-funded Youth Music Initiative provides music-making opportunities for young people across Scotland, particularly those who would otherwise be unable to participate.
The review found the Creative Scotland-administered programme had expanded access and opportunities for children across Scotland with more than 453,000 children supported over the last year.
It also found that its newest strand, the Youth Arts Open Fund, delivered in participation with YouthLink, is already creating additional opportunities for young people facing barriers to participation. This includes ‘Starcatchers’, who opened their Baby Studio in an empty retail unit in Wester Hailes, providing free access to creative space for babies and young children.
The review makes a range of recommendations for the Scottish Government and Creative Scotland to consider. These focus on potential structural changes as well as seeking out opportunities to innovate and cement YMI’s position as an internationally-recognised model of best practice in youth arts and engagement.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “At its heart, the YMI is about providing young people of all backgrounds the opportunity to enjoy music.
“Participation in cultural and creative activities helps young people grow into confident citizens and plays an important role in fostering wellbeing and supporting attainment.
“The Scottish Government is proud to support the delivery of these benefits with £9.78 million funding in the last Budget. The review’s recommendations will be considered carefully alongside the independent Review of Creative Scotland.”
Morag Macdonald, YMI Manager at Creative Scotland said: “This report marks a pivotal moment to both reflect on the profound impact of the YMI on Scotland’s children and young people, and to celebrate how deeply it’s now embedded within the fabric of our national cultural offer.
“We welcome the report’s recommendations which provide a clear focus for the programme’s strategic development, and we remain ambitious about the future direction of the fund.”
To celebrate Black History Month, Vue venues in Edinburgh have curated a collection of biographic movies that champion Black representation.
Screening across the entire month of October, the season kicks off today (8 October) with biographical drama Ray, which focuses on the life and career of musical legend Ray Charles.
Written by the late James L White, and directed by Academy Award winning director Taylor Hackford, the icon comes alive beautifully through music, drama and stellar performances from Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King and more.
Also screening as part of Black History Month on 15 October is Straight Outta Compton.
The film tells the true story of how cultural rebels NWA – armed only with their lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent – stood up to the authorities that meant to keep them down. As they spoke the truth, their voice ignited a social revolution that is still reverberating today.
From 22 October, movie fans will also be able to watch the life of one of the most awarded performers of all time in Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody.
The biographical musical creatively depicts the life and career of Whitney Houston with Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci and Ashton Sanders bringing their roles to life.
To conclude the season, on 29 October Vue will be welcoming breakout stars, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch as they star in biographical drama musical, Bob Marley: One Love.
The movie depicts the life and musical career of the reggae singer in a unique and engrossing story from the perspectives of those closest to the music legend.
Robert Smith, General Manager at Vue in Edinburgh Omni, said: “We’re proud to be showing a variety of content on the big screen this Black History Month and we encourage film fans from all walks of life to immerse themselves in these incredible, true stories.”
Opens at Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh, EH14 2SW
Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm
51 hours of Post Office service per week
Branch now open Saturday afternoons
Experienced father & son postmasters
One of UK’s first new-look Post Offices
Wester Hailes Post Office opened yesterday (7/10) at a new location – Plaza News, Unit 23-26 Upper Ground Floor Level, Westside Plaza, Edinburgh.
Wester Hailes Post Office, which had been directly managed by Post Office, has new franchise owners – father and son, Mohammed and Aamir Arshad.
The branch is still within Westside Plaza. It has however moved to Plaza News, a hardware and convenience store, based in this shopping centre since 2016.
Previously, Mohammed and Aamir ran Whitecraig Post Office and off-licence store in Musselburgh for six years.
Post Office Limited recently announced it is moving to a fully franchised network, as part of our wider commitment to deliver a “New Deal for Postmasters”.
Over 99% of the Post Office network is already successfully operated on a franchise basis by carefully selected retail partners. We are confident this would create a long-term, sustainable future for post offices in communities across the UK, including Wester Hailes.
Wester Hailes Post Office is one of the first branches in the country using new colours and format for a new look and feel for today’s modern world. There is more internal signage which informs customers of the three key services we perform: Banking, Mails and Travel.
Wester Hailes Post Office has two open plan serving positions at the retail counter. The same full range of services are still available, including an internal ATM.
The opening hours are Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5.30pm. This is an extra 5 hours and 30 minutes of Post Office service a week including Saturday afternoon and earlier opening on a Tuesday morning than previously offered for the convenience of customers.
The shopping centre car park has dedicated disabled parking bays on upper level where the new branch is located.
TEAM members at Specsavers Morningside, together with local businesses from the area and nearby Bruntsfield, are joining forces to support people experiencing homelessness through a special out-of-hours clinic on Monday 13th October 2025.
The initiative, led by Michael O’Kane, director of Specsavers Morningside and Cameron Toll, brings together a wide network of local partners who are each contributing to make the event a community-wide effort.
Support has come from across the local areas, with donations and services from St James Management, Houseproud, Waitrose, Toys Galore, JoJo Maman Bébé, 181 Deli, and a local barber, among others.
Together, they are helping to provide food, essential winter clothing, baby clothes for families and haircuts, alongside free eye and ear care services.
A team of seven colleagues from the Morningside store, located at 85 Morningside Road, will host an eye and ear care clinic offering sight tests, OCT scans, glasses, hearing tests, and ear wax removals – all provided outside of normal business hours.
The clinic, organised to tie into World Homeless Day (10th October 2025), will run between 6–8pm, offering a calm, welcoming environment for people experiencing homelessness to access care and connect with the local community.
Specsavers Morningside and Cameron Toll stores are partnering with Social Bite, Streetwork at Simon Community Scotland and The Bethany Christian Trust, inviting anyone affected by homelessness to attend the clinic and access the support available.
This event forms part of Specsavers’ wider homelessness programme, reinforcing the company’s commitment to breaking down barriers to healthcare.
The Edinburgh stores are proud to mark World Homeless Day by taking a holistic approach – improving access to eye and ear care while also ensuring attendees can enjoy a meal, receive essential winter clothing, and access other wellbeing services in one supportive setting.
Michael O’Kane, clinical director at Specsavers Morningside and Cameron Toll stores, says: ‘Our ambition is to ensure that everyone experiencing homelessness can access free, appropriate eye and hearing care.
‘By helping people achieve better sight and hearing, we hope to improve their quality of life and unfortunately, we know that for many, this is not the case because it can be incredibly difficult for them to access to this care.
‘By holding an out-of-hours clinic around World Homeless Day and working closely with a number of generous businesses in the local area, we are aiming to make expert care accessible to our community whilst raising awareness of the barriers currently in place.’
One in three people who experience homelessness need glasses, and for many, accessing healthcare can be extremely difficult. This clinic is one of many being held across the UK, providing essential services to those who might otherwise go without.
Alongside its local work, Specsavers continues to collaborate nationally with organisations such as Crisis, Vision Care for Homeless People, and The Big Issue to develop long-term solutions that remove healthcare barriers for those most in need.
The company is also calling for policy changes to ensure that everyone experiencing homelessness can access free eye tests, hearing checks, and replacement glasses where needed.
Anyone who wishes to attend the clinic at Specsavers Morningside can request an appointment by calling 0131 446 9960 or emailing:
A record £99 million will be invested in Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) this financial year to help thousands of households struggling to afford housing costs in Scotland.
During Challenge Poverty Week, Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan highlighted the payments as a ‘lifeline’ for thousands of families and individuals. Funded by the Scottish Government and paid out by local authorities, the DHP scheme is designed to provide financial support to low-income households, delivering vital action to reduce poverty, safeguard tenancies and prevent homelessness.
The Scottish Government has budgeted a record £99 million in 2025-26 to deliver the payments, which are primarily used to help people affected by the UK Government’s under-occupancy charge (‘bedroom tax’) and benefit cap. In last month’s Housing Emergency Action Plan, the Housing Secretary allocated a further £2 million towards the budget for DHPs.
On a visit to Fife Gingerbread, a charity which supports lone parents and families in times of need, Ms McAllan said: “In a country as wealthy as Scotland, it is unacceptable that anyone, and particularly any child, should live with the strain and harm of poverty.
“While Scotland is now the only part of the UK where child poverty levels are falling, there remain many complex drivers of poverty – not least the high levels of inflation in the UK driving increases in the costs of basic essentials such as food, energy and housing.
“Last year 94,000 households were supported by the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme in Scotland. These payments are a vital lifeline for people in emergency situations and acute financial distress, where they cannot afford the cost of putting a roof over their head.
“The UK Government’s punitive welfare policies are driving the problems households face but the Scottish Government is doing what it can to mitigate the impact on people, from the £99 million investment in Discretionary Housing Payments this year to effectively scrapping the UK Government’s two-child limit in Scotland from March next year.
“The First Minister has made tackling child poverty among this government’s defining missions. However, we can only do that with a social security system that provides the support that people need in the hardest of times.
“The Scottish Government is committed to putting more money in people’s pockets and delivering real savings to support families. The UK Government must make the same choices.”
Fife Gingerbread CEO Laura Millar said: “During Challenge Poverty Week, we’re proud to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Housing. Discretionary Housing Payments are an important tool to help struggling families with their housing costs, and we welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest a further £2m to support households in temporary accommodation to find settled homes as a good next step.
“Children across Scotland deserve to grow up in safe, happy homes and we will continue to amplify their voice to champion for change.”
Community Garden Vandalism 
We’re about to post the same thing about our garden in the SfL department. It’s so disheartening when we try so hard to keep it good and our young people are working in it 
